durbin of illinois has introduced the "smarter sentencing act", co- sponsored by fellow democrat patrick leahy of vermont and republican mike lee of utah. kentucky republican rand paul also has a measure to increase judicial discretion. durbin wrote the law that ended a long-standing disparity in drug sentencing that hit minorities hardest; the president signed it in 2010. >> a bipartisan bill to help right a longstanding wrong by narrowing sentencing disparities between those convicted of crack cocaine and powder cocaine. it's the right thing to do. >> woodruff: today, holder also cited the toll such harsh sentences take on some american communities. >> they, and some of the enforcement priorities we have set, have had a destabilizing effect on particular communities, largely poor and of color. and, applied inappropriately, they are ultimately counterproductive. >> woodruff: holder added that programs to enable compassionate release for older inmates-- and to send drug offenders to rehab, not up the river-- should help trim prison populations. to examine the arguments on each side of the issu